Ikwipedia talk:Evidence

— Occam's razor is probably not a parochial terrestrial principle

What is evidence?

Evidence encompasses more than reproducible experiments. Fields such as biological history, archaeology, geology, journalism, and various types of investigations—including criminal and disease outbreak investigations—commonly rely on evidence that cannot be reproduced or empirically tested. Nevertheless, the conclusions of experienced practitioners in these fields are often granted a similar authority to those based more exclusively on empirical methods (though every paradigm has its potential inaccuracies).

Valid evidence is treated with respect and is evaluated based on its credibility and applicability. Non-empirical evidence, such as documents, artifacts, photographs, videos, and testimony, plays a critical role in these disciplines. These forms of evidence are equally valid and essential for building knowledge and supporting investigations. When studying phenomena like UFOs, aliens, and conspiracies—where empirical evidence may be deliberately obscured or unattainable—non-empirical evidence becomes indispensable.

Testimony as evidence

Testimony, including statements such as "I saw an alien," is unequivocally evidence. Full stop. Testimony is evidence. When someone testifies or gives their "evidence," it is not inherently inferior to other kinds of non-empirical evidence. Testimony's value is evaluated based on its context, relevance, and consistency with other available evidence.

Principles

Evidence—whether empirical or non-empirical—is assessed for its relevance, context, alignment with theories, contribution to understanding, and explanatory power.